Islamabad: The Pakistan government on Thursday accepted a key demand of Dr Tahirul Qadri’s Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) and appealed to the Islamic scholar to avoid any rash action such as the storming of parliament by the party workers.
Two federal ministers told reporters a First Informaton Report (FIR) or complaint would be registered by the police in Lahore against 21 individuals including Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif over the June 17 incident.
Khawaja Saad Rafique, minister for railways, said officers known for their integrity would be assigned to carry out an investigation in connection with the incident, in which 14 PAT workers were killed and scores injured in alleged police shooting in Lahore.
PAT is also demanding resignation of the Punjab chief minister, who returned overnight from a visit to China he made despite the political crisis gripping the country.
Qadri was due to announce a “decisive” step in the party’s anti-government campaign, in an address to thousands of party workers and supporters including women and children, who have been camping near the parliament in a sit-in for two weeks.
The minister appealed to Qadri to avoid any confrontation between his followers and thousands of police and paramilitary personnel deployed in the sensitive ‘red zone’ of the capital.
“For God’s sake do not trigger confrontation; Have mercy on women and children and let them go back to their homes,” Saad Rafique said, alluding to speculation the PAT leader may ask his people to march on the parliament or nearby PM House.
Defence Minister Khwaja Asif cautioned that the government had been handling the situation with patience and restraint since PAT and Pakistan Tehreek Insaf (PTI) of Imran Khan launched their long marchs from Lahore on August 14.
“We are political people, but our maturity and restraint should not be taken as a sign of weakness,” cautioned the defence minister.